Every Day is Special

Have you ever noticed that the month of February seems to be filled with holidays?

Some are more celebrated than others.  There are holidays that are more commercial, some that are obscure, and others barely noticed by anyone.

To recognize friends and family on any day is something very special.  As a cardmaker, I think any and every day should be celebrated.

In no particular order.... Valentine's day!  Don't you hate it when people say 'happy valentimes day'? TIMES...... where on earth did that come from?  Some say it's sappy.... Hallmark holiday to make money.... yeah, so what?  We need to promote more love.... there is enough hate and craziness out there.  MORE LOVE!

Last week there was Chinese New Year, Mardi Gras (or Fat Tuesday), Ash Wednesday and other weird little celebrating days.... along with Lincoln's birthday, Presidents' Day etc.... and of course all the people who celebrate birthdays in February!  The above is a dragon doodle, drawn by hand with pen and paper.... and then....

I uploaded it to the computer to color it in ... and add the text.

Holidays and special days are good for a graphic artist.  They keep us busy creating!

Nothing poignant to my blog post today.  

I'm happy that I can always find something to create... every day.

For the Right Reasons I will Creep

Week #6  * DO52  *  CREEP

My word for the week is CREEP!

First thing to my mind is being a creep.... which is a noun.  Wipe that off the topic.

Creep: move slowly and carefully, especially to avoid being heard or noticed.

Well, I definitely want to be noticed ...for the right reasons!  

 I certainly move slowly and carefully when I walk my dogs when it's icy outside during winter in Chicagoland, I wouldn't speak if I avoided being heard, why bother!!

I will have to dig deep to bring a little creep into my life.  Maybe you have ideas to help me?

For now:

One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.

A Step Up

Pinterest Success?? Sure

Makeover?? Could be.

Redecorating?? Yes

So, here is the before of a cute step stool.

And here is the after.

It was really a quick reupholster job. The only issue I really had was reusing the tacks.  Since I had taken them out and wanted to use them again, most of them were bent.  I tried to straighten them out the best I could... that took the most work.

Next time, I'll go buy new upholstering tacks!

If you want to see the almost step by step, you can click on the YouTube video that I made, below.

https://youtu.be/ESBWnXesYvc

And here, side by side, is the before and after.  I had the material on hand from another project, so the total cost for the renovation project $0.00.

I think I could do this again.  So yes.... two thumbs up for this one!!

The Elephant in the Room

Week 5   * DO52  * ADDRESS

it's very interesting how some things can be so dang difficult and others, easy peasy.  This week as part of cultivating a good life, I am continuing to create muscle memory and I am working on so many things to help me grow.

Challenging myself through the House of Shine I've picked  this weeks DO52 stick.  My verb for the week: address.

Maybe I shouldn't admit this.... but I've got this one!!!!

Waiting in today's mailbox to go out is a card I'm sending to a new friend with a check in it.  It was interesting karma.  A book was suggested to us a few weeks ago by a mutual friend. Completely *randomly, my husband had picked it out at our local library.  After a busy-ish 3 weeks, I never got to it, and sadly it went back to the library unread. That evening, a friend left an open message on Facebook that she accidentally purchased 2 copies of the book.And one was for sale.  I gladly said I would purchase it, and right away addressed the envelope with check enclosed. *this serendipity moment will have to be written in another interesting post.

Two other things I know for certain will happen this week.  I will be creating some funny valentines for my adult children and I will have to make some sort of entertaining greeting on the front of the envelope when I address it to Kansas and Missouri.  And finally, I've been asked to assist a kindred spirit who has a small mass mailing to do.  My job is to box the goodies and stick on the address labels.

Too easy..... right??  

When you DO52 it doesn't mean that you have to search HIGH and LOW to find the challenge in a new verb. It can be the little prompt to live your SHINE mindfully.  

And as I said before, I am an overachiever.  I will look for other opportunities to address the elephant in the room!

Stay tuned!